The Ripple Effect,
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Amadou & Mariam – The Magic Couple
Oh my God! Seriously, that’s all I can say. After spinning this disc umpteen times, it never fails to amaze me. Each spin reveals new textures, hidden sounds, and profound emotions. Without hesitation, this disc deserves a place within the hallowed halls of some of the great African releases to ever crossover to American shores. Amadou & Mariam are a couple from Mali who met and fell in love when a guitar-playing music teacher heard for the first time the voice of one of his students at the Institute for the Young Blind in Bamako. That was thirty years ago and a lifetime of love and music followed. Perhaps, its because they are both blind that their music has such remarkable depth and warmth, full of beauty, hypnotic in rhythmic layers, and surprising in it’s incorporation of unusual instruments into its river of polychromatic beauty. The Magic Couple presents this beautifully, collecting songs from three International releases recorded late in the 1990's.
“Je Pense A Toi,” sets the pace in stunning fashion. Following the polyrhythmic, hand percussion intro, cello layers into the mix. Gentle and restrained, it is perhaps the most stark and haunting accompaniment I’ve heard. By the time Amadou’s textured voice joins in, I’m already lost, floating away on the rhythmic clouds, lost in a swirling miasma of sound and memory. Amadou’s voice is an amazing instrument, restrained and wavering, he adds to the somber tone, effortlessly moving through the melody. Joined with harmonies by Mariam and sung in French, I have no idea what he’s singing, but it doesn’t matter, the tone is clear. A song of love and longing (I think the title translates to “I Think of You,”—correct me if I’m wrong) the emotion in the song resonates stronger than a thousand boy bands singing corporate songs of melodramatic heartbreak and manufactured breakups. This emotion is real, resonating down to my marrow. Just listen to the cello as it layers the textures across the song, bringing the most mournful solos you can imagine, dancing between the gentle percussion and Amadou's snaking guitar. You don’t have to be a fan of world music to appreciate this beauty. It should appeal to all fans of mood-filled, ambient rock like the Cocteau Twins. It really is that beautiful.
Not to be outdone, “ Mariam takes the lead for “Sarama (La Charmante)” and instantly the tone changes, guitars pick out a jubilant melody, drums and bass turning positively jaunty while a western-style piano runs the keys like some honky tonk player from a roadhouse blues band. What a beautiful contrast in styles that is, such an unusual take on traditional Malian sounds. It only takes an instant for the band to lock onto the groove, finding their pace, moving the song through infinite loops, each seeming to become more joyful than the prior. I certainly didn’t expect the dynamite desert blues harmonica that starts off “Combattants,” but, damn, am I glad it’s there, adding another western texture to what turns out to be a total burning African jam. Amadou & Mariam are adept at this, bringing in subtle textures of unexpected instruments to infuse their afro jive with a new and exciting life. Check out the wahed out guitar solo during “Combattants.” Dynamite! This song is a barn burner, featuring one of the most infectious, melodic choruses I’ve heard in a long time.
Each track is strong and equally mesmerizing. Alternating through moods of light and dark, elevating to heavenly, dance-floor filling highs, to hypnotic, trance-inducing moments of the sublime, this is an album that demands repeated listening. Just check out the wooden flute intro to “Mouna” or the gorgeous vocal harmonies on “C’est Comme Ca.” And what about that bass solo! “Djagneba,” is another standout track, featuring some beautiful horn work and Mariam’s most impassioned vocals.
African music or Western, it doesn’t matter. Beautiful songwriting is beautiful songwriting, and this album stuck in my memory for weeks after listening like bubblegum stuck to my cortex. A strong contender for one of my albums of the year.
09/11/09
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